BANGLADESH: New initiative to boost building safety

Efforts to improve building safety standards in Bangladesh's garment industry are to get a new push from a project to strengthen the construction permit approval process and related building inspection mechanisms.

The initiative will see the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, work with the Dhaka city development authority, Rajdhani Unnayan Kotripokkho (RAJUK), to introduce third party inspection for increased safety, streamline existing laws, automate the issue process for construction permits, and introduce digital signatures to reduce paperwork.

The project will also encourage pro-environment green options to save water and energy in new buildings by incorporating green building measures in the RAJUK construction regulation.